Mobile devices may allow the sharing of media between users and groups of users over wireless communication networks. Users may share media, such as pictures, audio clips, video clips, and voice mail messages. Media may be shared among users and among different mobile devices. One method for sharing media that may be implemented in push-to-talk networks is known as push-to-share services which may allow quick one-to-one or one-to-many communication. In bandwidth-scarce networks, such push-to-share services may be attractive because they may deliver media in a timely manner and appropriate format while minimizing the bandwidth utilized in the process. In most push-to-share situations when particular media is shared it must be re-uploaded multiple times. As recipients then share the media further the media must be uploaded multiple times, placing demands on scarce bandwidth.
Additionally, different mobile devices may have different capabilities for presenting or using media, including different display capabilities and different media format support capabilities. Each intended recipient mobile device in a communication group may not have the same capability, and network resources may be unnecessarily taxed by providing unusable media to some mobile devices.
Additionally, an individual recipient may have multiple mobile devices for accessing shared media, but may only be actively using one mobile device at a given time. Each mobile device may receive the shared media, even though the user may only actively be using one mobile device. The provisioning of media to all of a recipient's mobile devices independent of current and historical recipient activity may unnecessarily utilize scarce network resources.